In the upcoming 2024 election, Donald Trump has made a bold commitment to regain control of the nation's borders and initiate mass deportations of illegal immigrants, prioritizing those with criminal records.
This endeavor is set to be an enormous task, unparalleled since the time of the Eisenhower administration. If successful, it will be one of the most significant logistical feats ever undertaken by the United States.
As reported by RedState, to facilitate this massive operation, Trump's chosen border czar, Tom "The Hammer" Homan, is considering seeking assistance from the military. However, this aid is not intended for enforcement purposes but for logistical support, including the establishment of detention centers and transportation, as revealed in a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal.
In the interview, Homan stated, "Its something thats certainly on the table. Were waiting to see what Congress is going to give us for funding." He further revealed that Trump's team is contemplating the use of military bases for detaining migrants and military planes to expedite deportations.
Trump's administration plans to declare a national emergency on immigration on the first day of his presidency, a move confirmed by Trump himself. This declaration would enable the administration to redirect Pentagon funds towards immigration purposes. While military troops are legally prohibited from making arrests on U.S. soil, Trump's immigration advisors hope they can offer other forms of assistance to increase deportations. This mass-deportation effort is a significant component of Trump's campaign promises.
Before critics raise concerns about the potential establishment of "concentration camps," it's crucial to remember that similar measures have been implemented in the past, even under the Obama and Biden administrations. Both presidents used military bases for immigration purposes, housing large numbers of unaccompanied migrant children who had crossed the border before releasing them to family members. Biden also accommodated evacuees from Afghanistan on bases while refugee agencies sought more permanent homes for them.
Historically, Haitian and Cuban migrants were detained on military bases in the 1980s and 1990s. However, no attempt has been made to conduct mass roundups of people living in the U.S. since the 1950s under Dwight Eisenhower. Trump's potential use of military assets could be more extensive.
Legal issues may arise, as the U.S. military is legally prohibited from conducting law-enforcement operations within the United States under the Posse Comitatus Act. However, an exemption exists that allows the use of such forces if authorized by Congress.
This legal hurdle should not be a significant issue. The military could be utilized, as it was during the Obama and Biden administrations, to provide logistical support. Given the scale of the operation, substantial logistical support will be required. As Homan suggests, the process will start with the identification, detention, and deportation of known criminals and individuals on terror watch lists. This task alone involves tens of thousands of people. These illegal immigrants must be located and apprehended, a task best suited for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal officials. Once apprehended, these individuals must be housed, fed, and eventually transported back to their countries of origin.
These are tasks that the military can support.
To fulfill his campaign promise, Donald Trump will need to manage one of the largest logistical operations the federal government has undertaken in years. The United States armed forces, with their training and equipment, are well-prepared to execute such a large-scale operation. If they can legally be used to assist ICE and the Border Patrol in their respective tasks, this is an avenue the administration should explore.
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